38 success WITH SMALL FRUITS. 



These obvious considerations, and the facts that have been 

 instanced, make it clear that brains must unite with labor and 

 capital. Above all, however, there must be trained, practi- 

 cal skill. Those succeed who learn how ; and to add a little 

 deftness to unskilled hands is the object of every succeeding 

 page. At the same time, I frankly admit that nothing can 

 take the place of experience. I once asked an eminent 

 physician if a careful reading of the best medical text-books 

 and thorough knowledge of the materia medica could take 

 the place of daily study of actual disease and fit a man 

 for practice, and he emphatically answered, " No ! " It is 

 equally true that an intelligent man can familiarize himself 

 with every horticultural writer from the classic age to our 

 own, and yet be outstripped in success by an ignorant Irish 

 laborer who has learned the little he knows in the school of 

 experience. The probabilities are, however, that the laborer 

 will remain such all his days, while the thoughtful, reading 

 man, who is too sensible to be carried away by theories, and 

 who supplements his science with experience, may enrich 

 not only himself but the world. 



Still, there is no doubt that the chances of success are 

 largely in favor of the class I first named, — the farmers who 

 turn their attention in part or wholly toward fruit growing. 

 They are accustomed to hard out-of-door work and the gen- 

 eral principles of agriculture. The first is always essential 

 to success ; and a good farmer can soon become equally 

 skilful in the care of fruits if he gives his mind to their cul- 

 ture. The heavy, stupid, prejudiced plodder who thinks a 

 thing is right solely because his grandfather did it, is a bu- 

 colic monster that is receding so fast into remote wilds be- 

 fore the horticultural press that he scarcely need be taken 

 into account. Therefore, the citizen or professional man 

 inclined to engage in fruit farming should remember that 



